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Dropping Engine & Transmission out the bottom

NR92

NR92

New member
picked up a 96 olds LSS for the purpose of parting out, kinda made the decision to drop the motor and trans out the bottom, one reason is that i want the sub frame and also i heard it can be easier, with that being said if i have to get a little violent with anything outside of the motor and trans that would be fine :)
questions are
*is it harder/more time consuming to drop it vs pulling it,
*ball park on time it would take?
*who here has done it without a lift?
any advise you have would be much appreciated

also because im not with the car right now and im too lazy to look, is the motor have any mounts bolted to the sub frame aside from roll resisters?

potently useful information
*done many engine swaps but never pulled one out the bottom
*its a supercharged motor
* don't have a lift, just a cherry picker and few jacks and some jack stands
*plan to do it myself but an extra hand can be had if needed
*i want to drop it out the bottom for ****s and giggles
 


subframe will never line up if its pressed against the body of the car.

Have to get it close enough for bolts to thread without touching it.

Otherwise it bends the chassis and wont line up.
 
Matt's just being Matt again. What he means is that when you re-install the subframe in whatever vehicle you're putting it in, make sure you get it to the point where you can start the bolts by hand and run them up that way, don't lift the subframe all the way to the body. To now answer your question, if it's just like any W-body you should be able to drop it with minimal effort. Disconnect wiring harness, steering link, lower ball joints from the steering knuckles and pop the axles. Or if you want to drop the suspension with it, disconnect the top three bolts on the strut mounts.
 
this is a parts car he taking apart.

you need your cherry picker to lift the car, a dolly or 2 dolly can help roll it out from under the car.

you can drop the whole front end struts and all, with the rack everything.

un hook engine, the rack from the column, the brake lines, un bolt the strut tops, support the sub frame with jacks, take sub frame bolts out, lift the car up. slide it out, or push and pull the car around with the picker if need be, or possible.
 


I always do it with just a floor jack and jack stands. If your unhooking everything it should take like 3 hours maybe. If your not trying to save to much 30 min
 
I haven't dropped out the bottom w/o a lift. However Hitman just did and said it was pretty easy to roll, you leave the tires on and the whole thing rolls nice.

On the 88, all your engine/trans mounts are on the bottom except the TA mount on the passenger side. That might be a pain point for you. Because that holds the engine/trans on that side. The only other mount is a dogbone from subframe to the bottom of the trans. It might be enough though. You have a lower front and rear trans mount on the driver side..then that one doggie on the passenger side. it might not fight. On that TA mount.. lift a little..pull the one main bolt and it should all slide rignt down.
 
Drop the whole thing out last night, I was really taking my time and stopping to screw with stuff and still got it out in 4 hours or so, if I was really trying I don't think 2 1/2 hour drop would be hard, thanks again guys for the info
 
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